Walter B. Pitkin, Jr.

Walter Boughton Pitkin (June 29, 1913 – June 27, 2007) was an American publisher, author, and literary agent.

Pitkin was born and raised in Dover, New Jersey in what was then a rural area. He was the youngest son of Walter B. Pitkin and Mary Gray Pitkin. He was the youngest of 5 brothers. Because he suffered from asthma since early childhood, Pitkin was not able to attend school. He did not learn to read until age 10. At about age 20, he rented a room in Manhattan, near Columbia University, where his father was a professor in the School of Journalism. During this period he studied on his own in order to meet the entrance requirements for Columbia College. He read English literature, American and European history, learned geometry, algebra, German and French. He entered Columbia College in 1934. The renowned professor Mark Van Doren, was a great inspiration, as were the historian Harry J. Carman, and the poet and philosopher, Irwin Edman. Thomas Merton was a friend, fellow English major and classmate.

Pitkin graduated from Columbia College in 1938 Phi Beta Kappa and began a career in publishing. Along with Ian Ballantine, he worked for Penguin America, until World War II made trans-Atlantic trade nearly impossible. Considered a pioneer in American paperback publishing, Pitkin co-founded Bantam Books in 1945 with Betty and Ian Ballantine and Sidney B. Kramer. Pitkin was Editor-in-Chief and also Executive Vice-President of Bantam. He later worked for New American Library.

In 1940, Pitkin married Susan Kobbe and, in 1949, moved to Westport, Connecticut. The couple raised three children there: Ann, John, and Stephen. After 12 years in Westport, Walter and Susan moved to Weston, Connecticut.

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